Thousands from Koli, Kabbaliga, Ambiga, Besta and Barik communities protested in Kalaburagi on Monday. They marched to demand Scheduled Tribes (ST) status for their communities. The protest started at Jagat Circle after Sri Shanta Bheeshma Chowdaiah Swamy offered floral tributes to B.R. Ambedkar and Basaveshwara. The protesters carried flags with Nijasharana Ambigara Chowdaiah’s image. About 3,000 people took part. The march ended at the Deputy Commissioner’s office where leaders addressed the crowd. They raised slogans against the State government and praised late Vittal Heroor. Traffic was disrupted for an hour at Jagat Circle. Roads near the DC office were blocked till evening. MLC Talawar Sabbanna said the communities have sought ST status since 1996. He said several proposals sent to the Central government were rejected or returned. He called on the State government to submit a new proposal with proper documents. Community leader Shivakumar Natekar said the protest is not against any party, but for constitutional rights. He criticized the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government for not forwarding the proposal even after two years in power. He urged Minister Priyank Kharge to help fulfill the communities’ demand. Some protesters said certain community leaders tried to block participation by stopping people outside the city. Other speakers included MLC N. Ravi Kumar, Sharanappa Talawar and Shobha Bani. The protest highlights nearly 30 years of denial of benefits to these communities.